Heroic Cat Saves Baby Boy From Freezing To Death

A cat named Masha from Obinsk, Russia, is being called a hero after she saved a 3-month-old baby boy from freezing to death in sub-zero temperatures.

According to Mirror, the long-haired tabby is looked after by the community. Masha apparently found the boy, who appears to have been abandoned, and climbed into the box to protect him, meowing loudly to alert neighbors.

Irina Lavrova, 68, found the cat and the baby after she took out the trash and heard Masha’s frantic meows.

“[Masha] is very placid and friendly, so when I heard her meowing, I thought that perhaps she had injured herself because normally she would have come and said hello to me,” she said. "You can imagine my shock when I saw her lying in a box next to a baby.”

The boy was taken to a hospital, where he was declared healthy.

"He was well-dressed with a little hat, and whoever left him here had even left a few nappies and some baby food,” Larova said.

"Clearly [Masha's] mothering instincts had taken over and she wanted to protect the child,” she added.

A hospital spokesperson credited the cat with the boy’s survival.

"The baby had only been outside for a few hours and, thanks to Masha and the child’s clothing, he was not damaged by the experience,” he said.

Larova said the cat is now a local hero.

"Everyone in the block is very proud of her, and we have all spoilt her rotten by giving her her favorite food,” she said.